Traffic signal for automobiles



A ril 13, 1925. 1,580,218

' H. D. ROBINSON TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Jan. 6. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @133 j @USDT CIL $1324 mm 6 an: r"- A- BACK 4.9

TAlL Liam April 13 1926. I

H. D. ROBINSON TRAFFIC smmm FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Jan. 6. 1925 2'Sheets-Sheot 2 H-D -R0bimsazv.

Patented Apr. 13, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,580,218 PATENT OFFICE.

HASSEL D. ROBINSON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- EIG-HTH T ELLEN R. BRAMLETTE, ONE-EIGHTH TO THOMAS G. BRAMLETTE, ONE- EIGHTH TO BERT T. ROBINSON, ONE-EIGHTH TO CLYDE I. ROBINSON, AND ONE- EIGHTH TO THERON J. ROBINSON, ALL OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed January 6, 1925. Serial No. 906. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, HASSEL D. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traffic Signals for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to traffic signals for use upon automobiles and has for its object the provision of a simple, inexpensive and eflicient device whereby the operator of a motor vehicle may easily signal to appreaching or following motorists and to pedestrians his intention to stop or to make a turn as well as the direction in which he intends to turn. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and consists in certain novel features which will be par-- ticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of one embodiment of my improved signal;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the face plate of the casing removed and the license tag omitted;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation with part in section Fi 4 is a vertical transverse section on the line 4-4 of- Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. .6 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuits whereby the signal lights are controlled.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a casing which consists essentially of a back plate 1 having a top wall or flange 2 formed integral therewith and projecting therefrom. Extending downwardly from the top wall are forwardly projecting partitions 3 which are spaced equi-distantly from the vertical central line of the back plate so as to define side compartments a and 5, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, the lower ends of the said vertical partitions being integrally connected with the inner endsjof horizontal flanges or partitions 6 which extend outwardly to the side edges of the back plate and are there merged into end wallsor flanges 7 having openings 8 formed therein. The said end walls 7 have lugs or brackets 9 formed on their inner sides to support panes of glass or other transparent material, as

shown at 10, whereby light from electric lamps 11 located in the compartments 4 and 5 may pass through the ends of the device.

Extending between the vertical partitions 3 and permanently united therewith are horizontal partitions 12 whereby the space between the vertical partitions is divided into a plurality of compartments 13, 14: and 15, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4, and a lamp 16 is located within each of the said compartments. The lowermost compartment has its lower side open so that the lamp located therein may be utilized as a taillight and permit it to illuminate the llcense plate 17 which is secured in any convenient or preferred manner to the lower projecting edge of the back plate 1. To prevent dust rising into the compartment 15 and clouding the lamp therein, I provide a removable cover 18'which may conveniently be formed of a sheet or strip of celluloid or similar flexible transparent or translucent material which may have its ends flexed to engage between the depending tongues or flanges 19 which are formed integral withthe horizontal partitions or flanges 6, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, lugs 20 being provided upon the back plate below the compartment 15 to be engaged by the rear edge of the cover 18, as shown in Fig. 2.

Within each of the compartments 4:, 5, 13, 14"and 15 is secured a reflector 21 consisting of a highly polished sheet of metal having its edges bent forwardly, as indicated at 22, whereby the light from the lamp will be thrown outwardly from the compartment, and to protectthe lamps and the reflectors a face plate 23 is secured over the several compartments and has an outline conforming thereto, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 1. This face plate is provided along its upper and side edges with a flange 24 which fits snugly-over the forwardly projecting flanges or walls 2 and 7 and is secured thereon by screws or similar devices 25 inserted through openings provided therefor at the corners of the face plate to engage threaded sockets in lugs 26 formed upon the back plate, as shown. On the inner face of the face plate 23, lugs or brackets .27 are provided to engage over the edges of panes '28 of glass or other transparent materialsothat sight openings 29.

provided in the face plate, will be covered and dust cannot enter the several compart ments to cloud the lamps or the reflectors therein. 'The openings'29 in the face plate are given various outlines so that they have distinctive identifying characteristics and, therefore, their significance, when illuminated, will be easily understood. The panes 28 are also given distinctive different colorings to aid in making known their signifi- For instance, the opening at the compartment 13 is preferably elliptical or oblong with rounded ends and the ane covering said opening is preferably 0 ear, this opening, when illuminated, indicating an intention on the part of the operator to back the vehicle, while the opening over the compartment 14 is preferably in the form of a cross, as indicated at 30 in Fig. 1, and the pane of glass covering said opening is preferably red as this'opening is intende to signify that the operator intends to come to a full stop. The opening over the lowermost compartment 15 is covered by a pane of glass colored red, inasmuch as this compartment contains the tail-1i ht which may be also utilized as a parklng light and, therefore, employs redwhich' is recognized as indicating danger and calling upon approaching motorists to stop. In order that this opening may be distinguished from all the other openings, 1 have given it a diamond shape, as shown at 31 in Fig. 1. The openings over the compartments 4 and 5 are intended to indicate an intention of the operator to turn to one or the other side and it might be suflicient to rely upon the location of the said openings adjacent the ends of the casing, but in order to avold confusion ormistake I have given these openings the outline of arrows, as shown at 32 in F1 1, which point toward the respective en s of the casing and may be dlstlnctively colored, as indicated. ,Of course, when either of these compartments is illuminated, the intention of the operator to turn in the direction indicated byt-he illuminated arrow is' unmistakable.

The lamps which illuminate the several compartments are of the usual construction employed in automobile lights and are mounted in sockets 33 which extend through the back plate 1 and through the mirror 1n the respective compartments. A fuse 34 1s fitted in each socket 33, and a conducting plug 35 is to be engaged in the end of the socket-remote from the lamp so that current will be transmitted through the fuse to the lamp in the usual manner. In my invention, the fuse is provided with a recess or groove 35' in one side and an opening, indicated at 36, is formed through the side of the socket to register with the said groove. Engaged through the said opening and in ing a lip 37 seating in the groove and a stem 38 extending outwardly through the openmg 36 immediately adjacent the back plate 1, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5.

The outer end of the stem 38 is perforated to receive a screw 39which -is inserted outwardly through the reflector 21 and the back plate so that the reflector will be setured in place by the same means which secures the socket and the fuse. Nuts 40 are fitted upon the screw 39 at opposite sides of the stem 38 so that, when the nuts are turned home, the partswill be very firmly secured together. i

The device may be mounted upon an automobile in any convenient or preferred manner and it will be understood that one of the devices is mounted upon the front of the vehicle while another is mounted upon the rear. Thedevice mounted upon the front of the vehicle may be equipped with a hanger whereby it will engage over the radiator cap and be secured firmly in place when the radiator cap. is turned home; while the device mounted upon the rear of the vehicle will preferably be" secured by any convenient means within the spare tire carrier. When the vehicle is equipped with a cross bar extending between the front mud guards or with a fender, as is frequently the case, the device mav be mounted upon such bar or upon the fender, and in Figs. 3 and 4 I have illustrated such a supporting device, the reference numeral 41 indicating the cross bar and the back plate being illustrated as hav ing brackets 42 projecting therefrom, which brackets have half sleeves or collars 43 at theirfreeends to fit partly around the cross bar. A mating collar or half sleeve 44 is,

bolts 45 fitted to thecross bar and securin are' inserted through mating anges 46 formed on the collars, as shown and as will be readily understood.

The lights may be connected with the usual source of electricity provided upon the vehicle which is indicated conventionally at 47 in Fi 6 and it will be readily noted that all t. elights have a common connection with; one side of this battery or generator. The tail-lights will, of course, be burnt continuously, ex'ceptrin daylight, and a simple switch 48 mounted upon the instrument board of the vehicle will serve to cut in or out the lights in the lowermost compartment 15 at the front and rear of the vehicle. It will be also understood upon reference to Fig. 6 that similar switches 49 are provided to control the several direction-indicatin lights and the corresponding lights at the mm and rear of thevehicle are connected in series so that, if the operator intends to turn or to back, that intention will be simultaneously' indicated at both the front and the rear of the vehicle.

the said groove or recess is a bracket hav- My traflic indicator is obviously simple in While I- have shown and described the several flanges and partitions as being integral with the back plate of the device, it will be understood that they may be made separately and permanently united with the back plate, as by brazing or other well-known means, it being the purpose to provide a device which may be very cheaply produced and will be very light in weight. It is also to be noted that the arrangement of the partitions brings the several compartments into a very compact relation, and it is also to be noted that the reflectors in the compartments 13, 14 and 15 are of such form and dimensions that they fit closely to the sides of the respective compartments and, therefore, fully illuminate the indicator sight openings in the face plate over the respective compartments. By utilizing a fastening means common to both a reflector and a lamp-carrying socket, I further reduce the cost of production and facilitate the assembling of the parts.

Having thus described the invention, I

claim:

1. A trafiic signal for automobiles comprising a back plate, a plurality of compartments formed upon. the back plate, illuminating devices located within the several compartments, one of the compartments having its lower side open whereby the illuminating device therein may illuminate a license plate suspended upon the back plate, projections on the back plate below and at the sides of the said open bottom compartment, and a flexible transparent cover for said compartment fitted over the projections below the compartment and between the projections at the sides of said compartment.

2. A trafiic signal for automobiles comprising a back plate, a plurality ofcompartments formed upon the back plate, one of said compartments having an open bottom,

ments, illuminating devices located in the several compartments, the reflector in the open bottom compartment being provided at its sides with outwardly projecting flanges, projections on the back plate below and spaced from the lower edge of said 1-eflector, other projections at the sides and spaced from the sides of said reflector, and a flexible transparent cover for said conipartment having its ends engaged between the side flanges of the reflector and the projections adjacent the same and its intermediate portion engaged'over the projections on the back plate below the said reflector.

In testimony whereof I aflix my Signature.

, HASSEL n. ROBINSON. L a] reflectors secured in the respective compart- 

